📢 UN Special Procedures Act on JPTi Submission Regarding Political Rights in Uzbekistan
- JPTi
- Jan 18, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 18
On 28 September 2023, the United Nations Special Procedures issued a formal communication to the Government of Uzbekistan following a complaint submitted by Justice pour Tous Internationale (JPTi). The communication, registered as AL UZB 3/2023, was transmitted jointly by the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
The UN communication AL UZB 3/2023 can be accessed here:
The communication raised grave concerns over systematic harassment, arbitrary detention, and targeted intimidation of political activists and human rights defenders associated with the unregistered Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (SDPU). Among the victims were Mr. Khidirnazar Allakulov and ten others, whose efforts to register a political party were met with surveillance, arrests, court-ordered evictions, and repeated denial of registration on contested grounds.
In this comprehensive 9-page letter, the UN experts underscored how Uzbekistan's restrictive laws, opaque administrative practices, and use of judicial harassment undermine freedom of association and political pluralism. The communication explicitly invited Uzbekistan to clarify its actions and ensure compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), particularly Articles 9, 19, 21, 22, and 25.
📨 Uzbekistan Responds📅
On 18 January 2024, the Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan in Geneva formally transmitted the State's response to the Special Procedures. The government denied the substance of the allegations, asserting that the rejection of the SDPU’s registration resulted from non-compliance with national laws, including signature irregularities, duplicate submissions, and the use of digital petitions, which are allegedly not permitted under the existing legal framework.
The response emphasized that the 20,000-signature threshold is neither discriminatory nor excessive in a country of over 36 million people and defended the procedural legitimacy of the Ministry of Justice’s actions. It also portrayed Uzbekistan’s legal environment as conducive to civil society, citing the registration of over 9,000 NGOs and recent reforms in transparency and NGO funding.
Nevertheless, the government questioned the impartiality of the information provided to the Special Rapporteurs, labeling it as politically motivated, while also expressing willingness to cooperate with the OHCHR and its regional office for further clarification.
🎯 A Milestone in International Advocacy
This exchange between the UN mechanisms and the Uzbek authorities is a significant achievement in JPTi’s international advocacy campaign for democratic participation in Uzbekistan. It marks the beginning of increased international scrutiny over the misuse of national legislation to suppress political dissent and restrict civil society engagement.
JPTi reaffirms its unwavering commitment to defending the right to political participation and peaceful assembly in Uzbekistan and around the world.
🔗 For further information: registry@jpti.ch🌐 www.jpti.ch
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